** U S A [and non]. GLENN HAUSER`S NEW MEXICO TRIP LOG --- From Sept 10 to early
UT Sept 16, 2015, I made a whirlwind tour of north/eastern NM, my old stomping
grounds which I had not visited for about 5 years. Lots to report about AM and
FM radio in NM and some neighboring states/estados. I have been mulling how to
arrange this, but the most expedient way is chronologically as in original log.
Any particular info may still be searched out later. All dates and times UT! Of
course in OK & TX, local time is UT -5; in NM, UT -6. And who cares what
time it is in Eastern? A few shortwave logs on the trip have already been
reported, and a few MW logs by skywave are not included here but already in
regular DX reports. I am not going to segregate AM from FM here; those who care
nothing about one or the other must do the ignoring.
89.5, KTOT Spearman
TX, Sept 10 at 1745, with gamelan music, quite a novelty, but it`s just the
`Exploring Music` show from High Plains Public Radio, 100 kW relay of KANZ 91.1
Garden City KS. Too bad none of their stations make it to Enid without any tropo
help. On US 60 near Chester, west of Enid OK.
580, Sept 10 at 1822, SAH
of 50/minute = 0.83 Hz, between WIBW Topeka KS and KRFE Lubbock TX, 5 and 0.5 kW
respectively; WIBW is still atop.
On US 60 near Seiling OK.
1060,
Sept 10 at 1825, NO signal from KIJN Farwell TX, off the air as I had thought
from Enid non-hearings. On US 60 near Seiling OK; now with a big wind farm
nearby which wasn`t there last time we transited.
1150, Sept 10 at 1826,
talk about rural health clinic in Hardeman County, Texas, Quanah ads, hwy 6 and
287. Is KOIJ Quanah TX, 530/77 watts U1. Doesn`t make it to Enid on groundwave,
just KSAL. On US 60 near Seiling OK.
1290, Sept 10 at 1829, 2 Hz SAH
between KWFS Wichita Falls TX, 5 kW ND, and the only other 1290 anywhere near,
KMMM Pratt KS, 5 kW direxional west. Back in Enid, only get KWFS. On US 60 near
Seiling OK.
93.9, Sept 10 at 1840, Kansas ad, on the ``Buzzard``.
Strangely enough, there is only one Buzzard on 93.9, searching WTFDA database
without even entering KS – KZRD Dodge City, 100 kW. On US 60 west of Seiling
OK.
93.1, Sept 10 circa 1930 UT, notice that this Amarillo TX station,
``The Beat`` has much weaker signal than the one on 94.1, as I am still in the
NE TX Panhandle some distance from Amarillo, just past the OK border. WTFDA DB
shows both KQIZ-FM 93.1 and KMXJ-FM 94.1 are 100/100 kW at close to same
coordinates, the major difference being 213 m AAT for 93.1, 330m for 94.1, but
that`s not enough to account for the difference; Still entering Potter County
(Amarillo) the same disparity after 2200. On US 60 NE of Amarillo. 93.1
underpowered?
1550, Sept 10 at 2119, Spanish with béisbol, surely 1 kW
KNSH Canyon TX (just south of AMA), despite 2015 NRC AM Log listing as ``Talk
1550`` in English. Approaching Amarillo on US 60.
1610, Sept 10 at 2201,
blue road sign says ``Weather Info Tune Radio to 1610 AM`` --- not any more:
this TIS is gone, unfortunately, I think for a few years, adhering to the FCC
banning of NWS relays on TIS stations. So where`s my Weather Band radio in the
car??? On US 60 at the Potter County line NE of Amarillo.
89.9, Sept 10
circa 2200, KACV, Amarillo College, 100 kW which should be a public radio
station continues to be nothing but a student rocker, or rather ``adult
alternative``. But HPPR has filled the gap with at least three signals into
Amarillo, on 105.7 KJJP 43 kW, 94.9 K235AL 62 watts, and 91.5 KTXP 1 kW licensed
to Bushland on the west side. Lots of its programming, events and underwriting
mentions Amarillo, the largest city by far it serves compared to HQ in Garden
City and elsewhere in KS, OK. Near and thru Amarillo onto I-40 west.
87.7, WTFDA lists a 3 kW KBEX-LP, Amarillo, Tejano Power in Spanish,
i.e. an analog channel 6 Franken TV license; unfortunately I didn`t see this
until I got back, so didn`t check for it! Really 87.75?
530 & 1610,
Sept 11 at 0045, Tucumcari NM TIS, same YL message for years, roughly: ``New
Mexico Department of Transportation District 4, Welcome to the Land of
Enchantment; remember to buckle up and drive safely``. I spot a monopole just
east of Tucum, probably the 530; 1610 closer in, has a flashing sign about
``monitor 1610 for urgent messages``. I wonder how often that happens? On I-40
near and thru Tucumcari. FCC: WQEL629, at I-40 exit 335 [same callsign as the
Santa Rosans to come]
1670, Sept 11 circa 0050 UT, another TIS, from
Mesalands Community College promoting their dinosaur museum, ``what a marvelous
museum``, with monopole at I-40 exit 332. FCC: WQIQ632. In Tucumcari.
I
have brought with me a 13-page printout of all the NM FM stations by frequency
from the WTFDA Database as of Sept 9: source for reference info in the
following.
90.1, listed K211DW, 28-watt Tucumcari translator of KFLQ,
91.5 Family Life Radio ABQ, is dead air but with stereo pilot; that`s
something
We spend the first night in Santa Rosa, my 1 to 9-year-old
boyhood home, UT Sept 11:
88.9, KENM Tucumcari, almost makes it to Santa
Rosa; 3 kW, 265m, the KENW Portales 89.5 relay. SR has no local signal from the
KENW stations, nor from KUNM Albuquerque; just a 91.9 relay of KANW ABQ, KNLK,
100 watts at minus 8 meters above average terrain --- yes, SR is in the Pecos
River valley, which degrades FM and TV reception. At some higher spots, marginal
signal from KENW direct on 89.5.
94.7, K234BN, 10-watt translator in SR
of KANW 89.1 ABQ is not heard; why need it, with 91.9? Slightly different site
coordinates
95.9, KSSR, SR`s only local commercial station, with non ID,
sounds like Casey Kasem. I think they used to carry his syndicated
show(s)
103.1, KSRL-LP, is on. Listed with 0/0 watts, but certainly more
than that! Think I spotted it on Third Street, across from the Santa Rosa de
Lima as per callsign, Catholic church. Has a big ugly dish, and a two-bay
antenna, on a short tower by the building; no signage identifying it
outside.
107.1, K296EP, translator of 98.1 KBAC is not heard, but 98.1
makes it
From the SR motel room I am able to get some good AM reception,
and even SW from Colombia on 6010.1 (SW logs from trip already
reported).
1090, Sept 11 at 0531, High Plains Radio Network in TX with
promo for high school sports: i.e. KVOP Plainview in the Panhandle between
Amarillo and Lubbock, 5000/500 watts U4. Night pattern has lobes to the NW and
the SSE, while we are WNW of them. Would be groundwave in daytime, but at night,
maybe skywave.
1680 & 1610, Sept 11 at 0540, two NMDOT District 4 TIS
are still running in SR. They relay WXJ33, NWS in ABQ with its frequent IDs,
BUT: constantly interrupted for local ID announcement like Tucum of 11 or 12
seconds. While NWS is synchronized [confirmed on two radios at 1723], the
interruptions are not. I time their frequency on 1610: every 30 seconds! Makes
it very hard to follow the weather info; must listen to multiple repeats to get
the whole spiel, 18 or 19 second fragments, or keep switching between
frequencies. 1610 has noisier background than 1680. These may be on opposite
sides of city, originally for I-40 construxion info. Yes, FCC: WQEL629 with 1610
at I-40 exit 273; 1680 at exit 277 (I think this is the one now closed for
construxion). Same callsign applies to Tucumcari 1610, above.
[I also had
some skywave DX logs this night, published elsewhere; now next daytime Sept
11:]
106.7, Sept 11 at 1521, open carrier/dead air here. Only two NM
stations are listed, one remotely possible, KAGM Los Alamos, 43 kW, 592m HAAT.
West TX also possible but not close either: KCHX Midland, 100 kW, 207m; and
KQTY-FM, Borger, 6 kW, 79m. FCC FM Query comes up with another possibility:
K294CB, 106.7, in Clovis NM, 50-watt, 70.2m CP for Christina G.
Benavides
105.9, Sept 11 at 1521, ID as ``K-SEL Country``, so Lubbock TX?
Used to be a KSEL there, but this one is now in much closer Portales NM, 100 kW,
141m
1701-1708 UT Sept 11 bandscan while parked at the Power Dam south of
town; long-abandoned little hydro facility, with the water from backed up lake
now flowing around one side of the mostly still-standing dam:
91.9,
KNLK local relay of KANW 89.1 ABQ, Sept 11 at 1703, does carry NPR News, but
programming is mostly `New Mexico Music`; and I notice there is some hum on this
transmission, presumably not on KANW itself. Also picks up some slack of public
radio programs passed over by KUNM.
103.9, Sept 11 at 1705, `Back to the
Bible`. Two NM stations, KGRT-FM, 6 kW Las Cruces, country, too far; and
250-watt translator K280FL, contemporary Christian, but in Aztec, far too far in
NW corner. So how about west Texas? The only cC is a K-Love in Amarillo, 99-watt
K280EU, too far too. One other possibility: KRIA, 25 kW in Plainview TX but it`s
supposed to be classic rock, `The Rocket`. Could BTTB be programmed on it
anyway? KRIA has no website, but BTTB does have a station finder, by states,
map:
with
nothing listed in TX or NM. What do they know? [BTW, there is no sign of tropo
or sporadic E DX anytime during this trip, but one MS]
105.7, Sept 11 at
1705, call mentioned KDAY? Must not be, as that`s on 93.5 in California. Nothing
fuzzily similar found in TX listings, and there are NO NMs on this
frequency.
Then checking MW for some interesting signals, not full
bandscan [this sexion rearranged slightly from chrono to frequency
order]:
540, Sept 11 at 1708, weak! Spanish, from KNMX Las Vegas NM. Only
88 km = 55 miles, but their 5 kW is direxional directly away from SR, an ellipse
tangent to LV. It does have broad coverage in northern and eastern NM. Why
direxional? Looks as if unnecessarily protecting XEWA. Local display ad for KNMX
and two related FMs:
640,
Sept 11 at 1707, mixture of Spanish and English. Spanish is certainly XEJUA in
Juárez, and I figure English would be remnant of 50 kW KFI all the way from Los
Ángeles CA; IIRC I`ve heard it before in parts of NM in the daytime; but could
also be remnant of my OK station, KWPN Moore, 5 kW sports talk. Distances: KFI
1247 km = 775 miles; KWPN 656 km = 408 miles.
680, Sept 11 at 1718, weak
Spanish, ad for Fort Stockton (TX), Panadería Guadalajara,, ``La Ce(?) Grande
680 AM`` slogan. It`s only the latest incarnation of 500-watt KWKA in nearby
Clovis NM, really ``La Ke Grande`` as in NRC AM Log, as in Qué; nowhere near
Fort Stockton, which is 392 km = 244 miles south of Clovis! There must be scads
of bakeries named Guadalajara in greater Mexico.
720, Sept 11 at 1706,
Spanish music, squeezed by slop from 710 KGNC Amarillo and 730 KDAZ ABQ; at
1712, ID missed but songs in English; 1717 ``Extremo 7-20, el extremo de tu
música``, so it`s XEJCC in Ciudad Juárez, also heard in OK by
skywave.
800, Sept 11 at 1709, JBA SAH! What about 50 kW XEROK Juárez? It
must be OFF at midday; as weaker, lower CiJz stations on 640, 720 are incoming
across the desert. Sked is supposedly 24 hours, and it certainly gets out at
night even tho no longer 150 kW. Do they deliberately stay off in daytime, and
if so on what sked? A DXer in El Paso could tell us. Another 800 making the SAH
has to be KDDD, 250 watts in Dumas, NW TX Panhandle, but is it beating against a
QRP XEROK or with 2.5 kW KQCV OKC at 654 km = 407 miles?
820, Sept 11 at
1758, weak signal from the ``testerone center of Texas``, i.e. DFW`s WBAP at
edge of 50 kW groundwave, 737 km = 458 miles from Grapevine.
840, Sept 11
at 1710 & 1757, hard rock, no doubt KARS Belén NM, 1800 watts just south of
ABQ; ex-860 during my previous residence in NM. Not clear why the move. Nothing
much close on 860 to compete in daytime, unless 250-watt KPAN Hereford TX, SW of
Amarillo was a problem.
860, Sept 11 at 1757, indeed stronger signal here
than on 840, this no doubt being KPAN Hereford TX.
880, Sept 11 at 1756,
SAH of about 5 Hz. Can`t see how this could be anything but remnants of KHAC Tse
Bonito NM and KRVN Lexington NE (unless of course there are some overlooked
inband HAR/TIS nearer). Logged again below but as 7 Hz SAH.
960, Sept 1
at 1755, an intriguing low audible heterodyne between two very weak signals, the
closest, but not very, pair being KGKL San Angelo TX, and KNDN Farmington NM.
KGKL was not off-frequency when I would hear it in Enid during the KGWA
Fox-hole. Some Mexicans on 960, but none close to the Chihuahua
border.
Noise level from a nearby powerline becomes a problem above 1000,
so can`t dig really weak signals out on top half.
1060v, Sept 11 at 1753,
KIJN Farwell TX is still silent.
1090, Sept 11 at 1733, network news but
cut off for local ad by Lindsey`s, and back to Dennis Prager Show. 1752, High
Plains Radio Network, Panhandle TX, i.e. KVOP. [this was also a night cheater a
few months ago making it eastward]
1230, Sept 11 at 1730, KFUN Las Vegas,
despite a 1 kW graveyarder, is nondirexional and much stronger daytime in SR
than 540 KNMX 5 kW. KFUN promotes its worldwide webcast reach, via
http://kfunonline.com but we don`t get a
connexion in several tries; maybe it`s too ``busy``? But radio-locator thinx
KFUN has no website. Here`s a display ad for KFUN and 100.7 KLVF:
1260,
Sept 11 at 1728, KTRC Santa Fe with Thom Hartmann show, // weaker 1350 KABQ ABQ,
the two and only ``progressive`` commercial talk stations. Yet break to an ad
for owning gold, which you would expect on far-right talk radio; o well, it pays
the bills. But if gold is such a good investment, why would anyone be selling
it????
I`m still not used to the SF call/frequency swap between 1400
KVSF and 1260 KTRC. Here`s a display ad for the FM side of KVSF which I really
didn`t listen to; what are its politix?
95.5,
Sept 11 at 1915, KHFM Santa Fe, the classical station I once worked for when it
was 96.3 in Albuquerque/Sandia Crest, but demoted by new corporate owners to
lesser signal on a lesser summit, nevertheless makes it to high ground on the
road to Santa Rosa Lake State Park, but --- with CCI from YLs chatting in
Spanish. Looks like that has to be KAIQ, 100 kW, 205m in Wolfforth (Lubbock) TX,
about 300 km = 185 miles. Tho it`s commercial, KHFM constantly bills itself as
``listener-supported``
101.1, Sept 11 circa 2145, KSFR White Rock (a
suburb SE of Los Álamos toward SF), Santa Fe Public Radio is making it along
I-40 east of Albuquerque, tho it`s only 2.5 kW ERP, at 568m HAAT on a mountain
west of Los Álamos, per Radio-Locator. But --- with some CCI from an oldies
station: that must be KVLC 100 kW, 101 Gold, way down in Hatch next to Las
Cruces. I listen a lot of KSFR Online. Originally on 90.7 but a few years ago
made a swap which led to a K-Love gospel huxter in SF on 90.7.
88.7, Sept
11 circa 2145, hoping for signs of KRZA Taos/Alamosa along I-40 too, but not
possible now with the newish 88.7 in Encino, KXNM, 18 kW, 89m, ``The Voice of
Central New Mexico`` per WTFDA. Encino hardly merits such a radio station, very
small town on US 285 between Clines Corners and Vaughan, south of
I-40.
94.5, entering Albuquerque from the east on I-40, I always check
for Gallup, which makes it across the Valley to The Heights, and there it shows
once we come around a bend and out of Tijeras Canyon, but not for long as we get
into the city. IIRC it used to be a rocker, but WTFDA now shows it as KYAT, 100
kW, 420m, ``Navajo FM Station``. Wish I could have heard more of it.
We
spent only one night in Albuquerque, avoiding the clog of the State Fair, also
taking a quick look at the campus of my alma mater UNM, which is also clogged
with more and more buildings, parking garages but I suppose the mark of success;
and no time for examining much of the local radio scene.
1510: One
station listened to for a bit, as never heard in OK, is the newish KOAZ, 5000/25
watts U1, ``The Oasis``. It exists by getting rid of the native station in
Magdalena on 1500, and KOAZ is really licensed to Isleta (nearby pueblo to ABQ,
but address inside ABQ). Also has translator on 103.7, format JAZZ per NRC AM
Log. The FM is certainly essential at night, with 25 kW KCKK Littleton CO aimed
right at it (as I previously reported and later logged further north in NM).
Display ad for The Oasis doesn`t even mention the AM 1510!
No
TIS/HAR noted currently active in Albuquerque. Guess they finally finished the
I-25/I-40 construxion. Some nice decorations on the underpasses and barriers
(also between Santa Fe and Española). FCC still lists a few TIS.
Sept 12
we drive thru Santa Fe and on to Taos, noting a few things. No TIS/HAR audible
in Santa Fe either, on 530 or in the 1600s.
950, Circa Española, KDCE is
splattering plus/minus 30 kHz. I suppose we were very close to the site tho we
didn`t spot the towers.
880, Sept 12 at 1844 in Española, we have a weak
SAH of ~7 Hz on this frequency: hard to see how it could be anything but KHAC
Tse Bonito NM and the only other 880 anywhere out to second-adjacent states,
KRVN Lexington NE, 10 and 50 kW respectively, both ND daytime. Much like we get
in OK on 880 at night; I`ll have to recheck their SAH. Lexington is 768 km = 477
miles from Española. See earlier log above too.
730, Sept 12 at 1912,
carrier and modulation are cutting off and on; first thought a spur from local
950 KDCE or something, but then decided it`s just KDAZ Albuquerque, with severe
transmitter problems, 1 kW gospel-huxter.
99.1, Sept 12 at 2005, now
circa Taos, ABC News in English until strange time to end at 2007.5, then ``Más
Música`` in Spanish. i.e. KXMT, 60 kW, 651 m for Taos. Such a slogan not in
WTFDA DB.
1610, Sept 13 at 2025 near Pojoaque, heading back thru Santa
Fe, NWS relay from Albuquerque is heard, and also a SAH. FCC info leads to
WQFJ525, licensed to Los Álamos County, with two 1610s, one at the LA PD, the
other in White Rock.
1610, Sept 13 at 2335 near Pecos on I-25, Open
carrier/dead air from ex-TIS here for Pecos NHP. No longer listed by
FCC.
90.9, approaching Las Vegas on I-25, K215DT, 104-watt, 207-meter,
vertical-only KENW relay in San Augustín is like a local, despite LV having a
non-translator on 91.1.
91.1, Sept 14 at 0030, KEDP Las Vegas finally
becomes audible as we are almost at the city limits, and 90.9 K215DT (above) is
no longer blocking it. Slogan ``Rescue Radio``, as listed; where did they get
that unique name? Is student station at New Mexico Highlands University, with
classic rock, 1.32 kW horizontal only, -60.6m ``above`` average terrain, both
maybe accounting for poor range on caradio antenna).
A few years ago
there were CPs/Apps for a new public radio network across northern NM beyond
those of KANW, KUNM and KENW, IIRC involving NMHU, but apparently crashed and
never happened, as no sign of it in listings now.
Las Vegas is in the
fortunate position of having local relays of both KUNM (KRRE 91.9) and KENW
(K296EN 107.1); (and cable TV gets both KENW ``3`` Portales and KNME ``5``
ABQ).
1670, next morning on the way out of Las Vegas northbound on I-25,
about 5 miles out of town we find a TIS unnoticed while in LV itself: good
modulation, VERY long spiel about emergency preparedness, chemical spills, etc.,
sheltering-in-place, referencing
http://www.smcounty.net i.e. San Miguel
County. That site in turn references across bottom of homoepage: ``Local AM
Emergency Alert System --- 1670 AM on Your Radio Dial``. No repeat heard after
several minutes but as it`s weakening slightly by mile 359 approaching Watrous
[NM! also near a 540 station!] we start to hear an echo. FCC info:
WQJV568 by San Miguel County with three 1670 transmitters:
Pacheco
Site, 0.3 km NE of I-25 at State Hwy 104
Trujillo Site, 1.3 miles SW of
Hwy 104
Apache Springs, 2.1 miles N of Apache Springs NM
Losing 1670 to
ignition noise by mile 363. Pacheco is the one we are hearing, as Trujillo is
about 35 miles east of LV: San Miguel is a big county; and Apache Springs is to
the south on US 84.
1650, Sept 14 at 1538 in the daytime but skywave
remnant? some Spanish audible, and CCI, i.e. KBJD Denver CO, and KSVE El Paso
TX, the only two US SS on the frequency; near Watrous NM on I-25.
540,
Sept 14 at 1540, KNMX Las Vegas with Ave María song and another sacred tune,
performed by kids with guitar/violin accompaniment.
810, Sept 14 at 1542,
KSWV Santa Fe with misa in Spanish, reciting Ave María. Both of these are
nominally secular stations and AFAIK this Monday is no special occasion on the
liturgical calendar, but subject to the dominant local religion`s
requirements.
1020, Sept 14 at 1544, KCKN Roswell in Spanish non-Catholic
religion with bigsig even up around Watrous NM, obviously running 50 kW again,
yet merely a satellite of Radiovisión Cristiana, WWRV 1330 NYC, about some
teatro event on Calle 165 as if that would be of any interest in NM, 973-AC
phone number. On groundwave here compared to 910, 5 kW KKBE Roswell, 1020 is
much stronger. We still get it at night in OK too as heavy QRM to nearby 1020
KOKP Perry, obviously not protecting KDKA.
92.1, Sept 14 at 1550, we
listen to the KENW relay for a while via K221DM Wagon Mound, 163 watts at 441
meters. KENW 89.5 Portales at ENMU has an extensive translator/satellite network
across eastern New Mexico; still after many years with unusual format for a
public radio station of EZL music weekdays, but NPR news and a large variety of
few-minute educational capsule shows sprinkled thruout (e.g. Stardate, etc.) And
at the moment, 1550, own produxion? ``My Stars --- a weekly astronomy update for
New Mexico``.
90.7, Sept 14 at 1557, the unique voice of Diane Rehm for a
second by meteor scatter. It`s definitely not KRWG Las Cruces NM, not on their
schedule. DR Show website has convenient affiliate list showing 90.7s in: FL,
ID, MD, MO, NH, NC. The only ones in likely MS range are: KWMU St Louis MO (1346
km = 837 miles), and KBSQ McCall ID (1383 km = 860 miles).
91.7, Sept 14
at 1557, KRCC ID in passing, at mile 385 on I-25 = 2 miles south of Wagon Mound.
No KRCC translators in NM, but in WTFDA listing for CO, this must be: KCCS,
Starkville, 370 watts, 303 m HAAT, ``NPR for Southern Colorado``, but not shown
as a KRCC 91.5 Colo Sprs relay. Starkville is just across the border between
Ratón NM and Trinidad CO. I know that in this part of the country, terrain can
audiblize such weakies in certain unexpected spots only. On a topo map there
would probably be a line-of-sight path, or nearly so. Well, it`s really not that
far, 127 km or 79 miles city-to-city plus 2 miles.
U.o.s., distances
cited in this report are approximations from
http://distancefromto.net entering
city/place names. While station coordinates are available, just too tedious and
time-consuming. It also delivers driving distances which I will try just once:
141 km = 88 miles to Starkville.
99.9, Sept 14 at 1601, ABC network news,
at mile 391 on I-25; but brief, since at 1602 already, notice from Taos sheriff
about a fugitive, cf taoscrimestoppers.org and ID ``True Country 99.9 and 100.7,
KKTC``. 99.9 KKTC is really licensed to Angelfire with 1.75 kW, 646m HAAT. Even
if on mountaintops in this 13+ kilofoot area of NM`s highest peaks, FM coverage
can be spotty and blocked; thus need for 100.7 translator back in Taos itself,
which is K264AE, 250 watts at minus! 197m HAAT. It`s not audible here, of
course, but instead 100.7 KLVF Las Vegas is still making it with 10 kW, from
minus 23m HAAT.
102.3, Sept 14 at 1606, lost dogs & cats notices,
which air at 10 am and 6 pm MT; phones such as 520-2323, in Cañón, 770-1307;
770-8005; mention
http://enchantedtaos.com and ID as ``KTAO,
Solar 101-9``. No such translator or satellite is listed by WTFDA for KTAO on
102.3! Closest one is K272ET in Eagle Nest, listed as a KBAC 98.1 relay.
So check FCC FM Query: does not show in this case which station is
relayed, but licensed to Taos Communication Corporation, same as KTAO, hint2.
It`s only 10 watts ERP! but 740m HAAT, 3558m AMSL [= 11670 feet]; 14m AGL. (I`m
not taking any more time in this delayed report to track down which mountain
each of these is on.)
Next program is `Trash & Treasure`, i.e.
tradio, local buy-and-sell ads. This heard along miles 398-400 of I-25. 101.9
primary not audible here, on other side of Sangres de Cristo.
We didn`t
bother to log KTAO 101.9 while in Taos itself, but did spy its installation on
the north side with an expanse of solar panels. It got a lot of publicity a few
years ago as the first(? only?) all-solar-powered radio station.
103.9,
Sept 14 at 1609, KHYM ID, one of the regional gospel-huxter networks in KS and
OK, but we are still on I-25 in NM. This would be the flagship station, 100 kW
in Copeland KS, which is SW of Dodge City on US 56 --- distance 378 km = 235
miles. At least I don`t find any likely co-channel translators for it any closer
in NM, CO or TX.
106.1, Sept 14 at 1610, KENW relay atop Sierra Grande
mountain is already audible at mile 401 of I-25 // 92.1 still audible from
behind us at Wagon Mound. COL for K291AD is the nearest town, Des Moines, just
north of it; 116 watts at 611m. Summit of Sierra Grande is 8720 feet per my NM
atlas. We know this also reaches into Cimarrón County, western OK Panhandle.
BTW, ``NEWS CLASSICAL`` doesn`t tell the whole story for KENW format as in WTFDA
DB, as explained above, not classical but EZL all-day, weekdays at least. I
think it does carry various syndicated classical shows elsewhen, but not as
prime format.
88.1, Sept 14 at 1612, mile 404 of I-25, another KENW
relay. This must be KENE, 1.25 kW, 431m at Eagle Tail, but where`s that? It`s
not a population, but a mountain found in the NM Atlas, just east of mile 437 on
I-25, near a place called Eagle Rock, and not to be confused with Eagle Nest,
much further west --- but we`re getting off I-25 at exit 412 in Springer, in a
hurry to take more direct US 412 all the way back to Enid (a.k.a. US 56 thru
Clayton NM into OK), thus missing Ratón, Capulín, unfortunately, as well as
Eagle Nest).
88.5, Sept 14 at 1614, another KENW relay. Only one here is
KENU, Des Moines, 240 watts at 613m, at exactly same coordinates as 106.1 above.
KENW put this one on, in case 106.1 gets bumped as only a translator --- but so
far it hasn`t been. Obviously on same tower, antennas 2 meters
apart.
90.5, Sept 14 at 1620, classical music heard at Springer, ergo
K213ET, the 10-watt, but 660m HAAT KUNM translator at/near Eagle Nest. KUNM has
a wide variety format but does carry `Performance Today` in the mornings (which
neither KUCO nor KOSU nor KGOU provide in OK).
88.7, Sept 14 at 1630,
the KRZA DJ we often hear via webcast; now on US56 east of Springer, in and out,
one of those spotty reception areas from its site way across the Sangres de
Cristos, in the San Juan Mountains, i.e. San Antonio Mountain, which peaks at
10890 feet up, just S of the CO border between Antonito CO and Tres Piedras NM,
and thus serving Taos NM as well as HQ in Alamosa CO. It`s 9.8 kW ERP at
628H/633V meters AAT. If something goes wrong at this very remote location, KRZA
can be and has been off the air for days or weeks. Of course we were hearing it
well while in the Taos-Questa area; it`s also spotty into Santa Fe.
92.1,
Sept 14 at 1633, KENW Wagon Mound relay still audible with another few-minute
capsule amid EZL music, ``Taking the Nation by Storm``, local? meteorologist
with national, then local weather conditions, forecast.
92.5, Sept 14 at
1636, ``Mountain, KCRT, online at KCRT.com``, then dead air for a minute, but VG
fully quiet signal. It`s 38.5 kW from Trinidad CO. (This is the one whose AM
1240 is hetting audibly off-frequency at night vs the graveyard pileup; I should
have stopped and checked it here, vs remnants of the NM 1240s, if
any.)
93.9, Sept 14 at 1638, comedy bits to advertise Latin Comedy Jam at
the Shuler Theatre in Ratón on Sept 19; also ad for Little Stinker Septic
Service (reminiscent of Red Green!); and pink RR`s (?) ``suitable for ladies``
(including Trans?? From Trinidad?). 1651 ID: ``In the Land of Enchantment,
KRTN-FM, 93.9, Enchanted Air``. That`s a change from WTFDA DB as ``Kool Gold
93.9`` with 26 kW from 441m.
US 56/412 from Springer to Clayton is quite
a remote area (and smoothly resurfaced a few years ago), where I have dreamt of
DXing via fence beverages --- but not near mile 44 where a HV transmission line
crosses the hiway WNW/ESE-ward, i.e. west of the State Hwy 120 junxion, a.k.a.
Santa Fe Trail. BTW, we spotted several windfarms in western OK and TX, but not
in NM.
97.5, approaching Clayton NM, we expected to be getting KLMX way
out, listed as 52 kW, 110m, but still not getting it at 1707 UT Sept 14; finally
at 1724, mile 67, only 16 miles from Clayton, we are getting it, with hard
rock/rap song featuring disoriented counting lyrix in Spanish ``1,2,3,4,5,5,6``.
Suspect KLMX is seriously underpowered.
After lunch of a ``blazing red
fish sandwich`` (not really spicy) at the Wild Horse Café in Clayton (our usual
Rabbit Ears Restaurant being closed on Mondays ---- named for a small mountain
NW of Clayton with a couple of humps, nowhere near a Bugs-Bunny profile!),
listened some more to KLMX: 1900 ID as ``97.5, KLMX, Clayton, New Mexico, home
of the Killer Mix``; 1902, ``Klassic Trax [sp?sp?} on KLMX-FM, The Killer Mix``
--- and at local range we can also tell it`s in mono, no stereo sound or even
pilot.
90.9, 1733 Sept 14, ag market report, from KJIL, another
Kansas/Oklahoma gospel-huxter network. This one is KJHL, 10 kW in Boise City OK.
Not specified in WTFDA DB as really IDing as KJIL.
We also investigated
the rest of the radio scene at Clayton NM. On AM, only KLMX 1450.
90.5,
listed KUHC in Clayton, 300 watts, 34m, relaying KJRT 88.3 Amarillo TX, is OFF.
Sept 14 at 1732.
91.7, K219LT, 140 watt AFR satellator, is ON, Sept 14 at
1732.
93.5, K228DP, KENW translator with 170 watts, is on, Sept 14 at
1732; but KENW also via 106.1 and 88.5 as above.
Indeed, at the OK state
line a few miles beyond Clayton, we are still getting KENW on 88.5 and 106.1
from Sierra Grande NM. How does their coverage compare? Radio-locator shows
106.1 as direxional, yet pattern is near-circular, with Clayton at the edge of
the fringe contour. 88.5 as non-direxional, nearly the same but only slightly
greater predicted coverage, yet twice the power of 106.1. Would `direxional`
include beam tilts? Some required from Sandia Crest into ABQ, but I should think
not for wide-coverage mountaintop relays beyond.
In Cimarrón County OK,
west of Boise City, between Felt and the Beaver River, we stop for a few minutes
at a quiet spot for a partial quick daytime MW bandscan on caradio, at 1908-1917
UT Sept 14 with many assumptions:
540, KNMX Las Vegas NM is still very
good, not being in its null like Santa Rosa is (but I am still unable to pull it
into Enid on daytime GW; maybe I could if it were not for KDFT and
KWMT)
550, CCI, so KFRM KS & KCRS TX
560, KLZ Denver
religion
570, SAH, one of which is talk, KLIF Dallas; and KWML Las Cruces?
or WNAX Yankton SD? The latter is everyday into Enid, not much further to
here
580, CCI music and talk, WIBW Topeka KS, and KRFE Lubbock TX
590,
KCSJ Pueblo CO is VG with talk, over lite CCI --- KXSP Omaha
600, very weak
CCI and slow SAH of 30/minute = 0.5 Hz: must be KCOL Wellington CO, direxional
west, and KROD El Paso TX, non-direxional (the other west Texan at Kermit, now
gone; it was always too close to KROD)
610, fast SAH between two talkers,
one or both sports, i.e. KNML Albuquerque and KCSP Kansas City MO (ex-KGGM and
WDAF). (The Vail CO 610 has been silent since Nov 2012)
630, KHOW Denver is
good
640, sports talk, must be remnant of KWPN Moore OK
650, good signal
with Hannity; must be KGAB Cheyenne (Orchard Valley) WY
660, IBOC from 670
KLTT Denver (Commerce City). This one also makes it into Enid on daytime
groundwave, but not enough for IBOC
680, Spanish vs IBOC from KLTT on the
other side: KWKA Clovis NM, as far above
690, ``We`re Cruisin```, i.e. KWRP
Pueblo CO, 250 watts; and some CCI, more likely all the way from 10 kW KGGF
Coffeyville KS, than 250-watt KPET Lamesa TX
730, one station audible with
religion. KLOE Goodland KS, 1 kW ND ought to be in here but listed as news/talk;
so instead must be 1 kW direxional away from XEX, KDAZ Albuquerque. Is KLOE
off??
740, CCI, must be KVOR Colorado Springs (wasn`t that before on 1300?),
vs KRMG Tulsa
750, weak CCI, has to be KMMJ Grand Island NE vs KAMA El Paso
TX
760, weak, presumably KKZN Thornton CO rather than KCCV Overland Park KS.
50 kW KKZN has big coverage but west of Denver only
770, KKOB Albuquerque is
still good
780, music from KCEG Fountain CO
790, is it KXXX Colby KS or
KFYO Lubbock TX?
800, ag info, presumably KDDD Dumas TX, not far; still no
XEROK daytime
810, fast SAH, CCI between WHB Kansas City and: KLVZ Brighton
CO, or KXOI Crane (Odessa) TX
820, NO signal from WBAP as expected; see
1080
850, KOA is VG, of course
860, KPAN Hereford TX is good
880,
KRVN Lexington NE
890, algo, presumably KTLR OKC remnant or KJME Fountain
CO
900, ag news, so KFLP Floydada TX, the tail which for less than a year
wagged the dog of 1640 Enid
910, music, KPOF Denver, or KKBE
Roswell
920, KLMR Lamar CO
930, NO WKY OKC audible
940,
Amarillo
950, CCI music and talk, so KRWZ Parker CO, and KJTV Lubbock TX
likely
970, Catholic from CO, so KFEL Pueblo
980, algo, probably KICA
Clovis NM, or maybe KMBZ Kansas City
990, fast weak SAH: KRKS Denver, and
KRSL Russell KS?
1000, JBA trace of algo, 2 stations: KTOK OKC, KKIM
Albuquerque
1020, KCKN Roswell, Spanish still good
1040, C&W, must be
KCBR Monument CO tho listed as CHR
1060, KRCN Denver Catholic
1070, very
poor algo, KFTI Wichita or KWEL Midland TX
1080, very poor talk, so KRLD tho
WBAP 820 is inaudible
1090, talk in English, CCI, so not 50 kW KXMA Aurora CO
now Spanish, but maybe KVOP Plainview TX
Almost time to move on, so a couple
more quick chex:
1230, rippling fast SAH, music and algo; nearest are KKPC
Pueblo CO, now public radio; and KGRO Pampa TX
1240, sports-talk is VG, i.e.
should be KXIT nearby Dalhart TX but listed as C&W
90.9, Sept 14
circa 1930 at Boise City OK, KJHL (as heard above in Clayton), now at local
range is flanked by distorted spurs circa 88.3 and 93.3, i.e. approx. plus and
minus 2.5 MHz. At 1943 this is running a COMMERCIAL, for a tour in Dodge City;
see KJIL991.com, more hard-sell ads from Great Plains Christian Radio. So the
flagship is in the commercial band, where it could run ads, but this and other
relays are in the non-comm band where that is verboten. FCC FM Query does not
make it clear whether each is licensed as non-commercial, as could be the case
even on 99.1. God`ll get `em for that? Not the FCC.
91.5, Sept 14 at
1944, on US 412 between Boise City and Guymon, classical gaining here, no doubt
the HPPR relay in Elkhart KS right across the border, KZNZ, 250 watts. Then it
starts to recede but:
91.3, Sept 14 circa 2030, KGUY Guymon, another HPPR
relay with 800 watts gains as 91.5 is receding. Eastward from Guymon as we lose
91.5, HPPR via full-power KTOT 89.5 takes over again. We can also get a bit of
flagship KANZ 91.1 Garden City.
1210, just east of Guymon we pass again
on the north side of the hiway, the three towers in a row of KGYN, aimed right
at Philadelphia. All of them are still up, so why are they habitually running
non-direxional at night as well as day?
102.7, Sept 14 at 2134 on the
Texas/Beaver county line, ``The Legend`` with ``That`s Just That, She`s Not
Talkin``` i.e. KLDG 100 kW Liberal KS
101.5, Sept 14 at about 2140, silly
Spanish talk with lo-fi call-ins, puns, guffaws, $tereo pilot but mono sound,
``El Show de la Chocolata``, into music. This is KSMM-FM, 100 kW also in Liberal
KS, La Mexicana. 20-kiloperson little Liberal is doing pretty well to count
three 100 kW FM stations and a 50, the others on 105.1 and 107.5, altho half of
them are Spanish.
100.9, Sept 14 circa 2150, ads for Garden City KS ---
but I can`t find any station in the 5-state area related to Garden City. The
closest likely to be heard is 100 kW KXGL Amarillo TX.
99.5, Sept 14 at
2151, ``El Patrón``, Spanish music; 2202, ``El Patrón, tu estación``. This is
KBIJ, 100 kW in Guymon, a new? station I was unaware of. There are a lot of SS
immigrants in the area, tnx to industries such as hog farms. Patrón means
employer or boss, no doubt a familiar word to the workers.
And after
that, getting back into familiar territory, the rest of my radio listening on
into Enid is on shortwave (Glenn Hauser, NM, TX, and OK, DX LISTENING
DIGEST)
This report finished and posted at 0453 UT September 26
